Like You
by snuggled
Summary: In essence, they were both alike. Both had insecurities, both liked someone they couldn't bring themselves to tell their feelings to, and both liked someone who liked another. Slight ShinoHina.


Um...maybe it's not obvious...but I fangirl over this pairing SO much it puts my enjoyment of ShinoKiba to SHAME. Yes. I am a fan of ShinoHina. It's too cute to just disregard. I first stumbled across how cute it was when I was writing my Hinata-centric fic "A Little House". And...then...it just spiraled into lunacy and there is NO going back now. Ha ha.

And now Chameleon Boy (Blue October) started to play and now I'm feeling warm fuzzies.

I don't see how anyone can really dislike this pairing unless they're extremely picky with who Shino and Kiba and Hinata are paired with. Yes. I'm a fan of ShinoKiba. No, I don't think Hinata is a bitch with skanky moves that breaks the two apart. o.O And it still scares me that people think she is... It reminds me of the hentai-Hinata at A-kon one year, practically humping my friend who was dressed as Orochimaru. -shudders involuntarily-

But yeah. This pairing warms my heart. It's so PRECIOUS. So here. Adding another one-shot to the fray.

Maybe I'll continue it and not leave it so depressing. Although in A Little House I shamelessly declared that unrequited love was probably the most appealing love of them all. So maybe I'll leave it like this. With Shino in shambles, and Hinata still crushing on Naruto. Hee hee.

I'll have to wait and see if people like this one first. (It's nothing special. And Shino's a bit OOC.)

* * *

**Like You**

--

Another failed attempt.

Another brief moment of trauma that nearly resulted in sure rejection, foiled again because her mouth refused to open and the words refused to come. Out of all the scenarios, that one seemed more plausible–he would reject her. To that end, she was somewhat relieved after all of these failed attempts.

She had avoided those inevitable words of rejection once again.

Sure it was a silly crush…sure she cared so much for him and he only had eyes for Sakura, but…but she could at least dream, couldn't she? She could dream he'd return her affections, even though she knew that, without a doubt, he would reject them in reality.

"You can try again tomorrow, Hinata-chan."

She turned to see Shino standing there, face earnest–that was really the only way she could explain it. As blank as he was, she always could determine that one look different than all the others–earnestness, belief in her abilities.

"I can…" She looked down, that same blush creeping into her cheeks again, and tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't keep it inside any longer. All of those hopes–all of those _false_ hopes–, fear of rejection, fear of not being able to do anything, all of her insecurities.

"I'm s-s-sorry, Shino-kun…but…I…I c-can't…" She wiped at her eyes, desperately trying to keep herself together as she spilled everything to her teammate. "I'm…I'm still nowhere near as confident as I wish I were… I just… Ins–Ins-s-side I…I know he'd n-never return my f-f-f-feelings…but…b-but I st-still d-d-d-dream… I still…I still w-wish he w-w-will. I–I…I know it's foolish to k-k-keep wish–wishing…but…" Her hands completely covered her face, and she shook her head. "But I still d-d-do!"

Though she couldn't see it, a deep frown was set in his face, and his eyes softened behind the sunglasses. As she bared her soul to him, he felt the distinct urge to give a deep sigh.

"…I'm still not…as strong as…as I want to be… I kn-know you two belie–believe in me, but…but inside I still worry that…that when it comes to that…that cr-critical situation I'll…I'll…" Her voice trailed off and she wiped at her eyes, trembling all over at the mere thought. When she finally spoke those dreaded words, it was barely over a whisper.

"…i'll cost us more than the mission…"

A silence crept between them like a cat stalking down the street.

"Hinata," he finally stated. When she looked up at him and wiped the tears from her eyes, he spoke again. "I understand." She gave him a hopeful look, and he merely continued.

"I have the same insecurities, you know. I still worry about the mistakes I'll make. I worry I won't face up to the challenge no matter how hard I train. I wonder if any of this means anything, if my training amounts anything, hell, even if _I_ amount to anything." He made a noise with his nose that sounded to Hinata almost like a snort. "I worry all I am is 'that creepy bug guy'…"

He rubbed the back of his head, and she could swear she saw a blush creep onto his cheeks. "We're a lot alike… I'm… Well…I don't speak my mind as often as I should, as often as I'd _like_ to… I…well…I have difficulty with my…um…my _feelings_…and…well…I…" He rubbed the back of his head more fervently. "I can't tell the person I like that I like them, and they'll never like me back, so understand…how…how you must feel…

"I… ……" He trailed off for nearly twenty seconds before he finally spoke again. "…like you…"

Her eyes widened and she wiped the tears from her eyes, making sure to rub at her ears a little to make sure she heard correctly. "Wh-Wh-What??"

"I…said…uh…" His face turned an awkward shade of red. Why the hell had he gone and slipped up like that? "…_I'm like you_, Hinata-chan. I understand."

"O-Oh…" She gave him a puzzled look in response to his blank look, almost as if she could've sworn she heard something else, before she finally smiled.

"Thank you, Shino-kun…" She wiped at her eyes again as more tears fell. "That means a lot to me…"

He rubbed the back of his head, and what sounded like a half-chuckle erupted from somewhere near his mouth, through the coat. "You…didn't stutter at all when you said that."

She put a hand to her mouth, gasping. "I…I d-didn't!" A smile made its way to her face, growing larger and larger the more seconds that passed. "I…I didn't stutter! N-Not even once!"

"…Good job, Hinata-chan. Now it's all up to you. Mind over matter. You can overcome your insecurities; I know it."

Her cheeks went bright red, and she giggled in her excitement. She grabbed him by the hand, standing up on her tiptoes and planting a quick kiss on the stretch of cheek she was able to reach over the collar of his coat. No sooner had she planted that gift on his face, that she dashed off to revel in how utterly free she now felt after letting all of her feelings just fly right out into the open like that.

Shino went rigid, his face flushing a far darker shade of red than hers ever could. As he rubbed the spot she kissed, his legs gave out and he fell backwards, passing out in the middle of the street.

In essence, the two were far more alike than either realized.


End file.
